Friday, 1 November 2013

LEADING BY EXAMPLE: Wavell Hinds holds fast to his passions for sports and service

LOCAL HERO: "I want to touch lives and inspire a few people," says Hinds, below with Chris Gayle and Lennox Alldred in Ocho Rios, last October.

If Wavell Hinds has his way, cricket in Jamaica could ascend to First World status over the course of the next five years. "I do a lot of work with the local cricket clubs and activities committees, and I look forward to mobilizing the clubs and engendering partnerships," says the recently minted recipient of the Courtney Walsh Award for Excellence. "I feel it is my duty to encourage young people to come out and play cricket so that there can be greater camaraderie among all, and we'll have a more suitable environment to operate in."
Unsurprisingly, Hinds, 35, has always seen a terrific role model in Walsh. "I've been motivated by [him] to work on and off the field," admits the former senior Jamaica captain and current president of the West Indies Players' Association. "And the award the other night was just a good sweetener, motivation to go and do some work for the sport and for the people. I want to touch lives and inspire a few people."

Some facts about Wavell Hinds: he highly recommends Michael Manley's History of West Indies Cricket and Beyond the Boundary by CLR James. "I mainly read sporting books, apart from texts on secular education," says the icon, who put in an appearance at Tuesday's launch of the new book PNP at 75 at UWI Mona. He's "not a movie guy" but relishes tunes by the likes of Marley and Hammond.

As for what always makes him happy, he reports: "Doing work and relaxing with my friends. I'm kind of a simple guy."